France captain Kylian Mbappe is set to make his international comeback after a six-month absence, and the Real Madrid star has acknowledged that he needs to handle his position better.
Mbappe, who was left out of Didier Deschamps’ last two squads, will return to action for Les Bleus in their Nations League quarter-final first leg against Croatia on Thursday.
Mbappe has used his time away from the national team to reflect on his performances, admitting that he needs to improve.
“I am lucid enough to know what I do well and what I don’t do well, I know people were not happy with what I was doing on and off the field and I wasn’t doing them well”; Mbappe said.
Mbappe accepts that he has made mistakes while playing for his country, including a poor performance against Italy and a pre-match news conference that didn’t please fans.
Despite his recent struggles, Mbappe comes into this international break in great form, having scored 31 goals in 44 games for Real Madrid in all competitions.
Only Robert Lewandowski, Mohamed Salah, and Harry Kane have scored more for teams in Europe’s top five leagues this season. With Mbappe back in the fold, France will be hoping to make a strong start to their Nations League quarter-final tie against Croatia.
Mbappe is set to be reunited with in-form Ousmane Dembele, who he calls a close friend. Dembele has scored 30 goals in all competitions for Paris Saint-Germain this season and Mbappe believes that his return will give France an added dimension.
“He’s another string to our bow. When you see his current form, it gives us even more options, it makes us even more unpredictable for the opponent”; Mbappe said of Dembele.
Mbappe is now focused on helping France succeed, and he is eager to put the past behind him.
“I am feeling good, I feel happy to play football. I am happy to be here to help the team”; Mbappe said.
With Mbappe back in action, France will be looking to make a strong statement in their Nations League quarter-final tie against Croatia.
